The village of Pyla is preparing to host the 6th Bicommunal Peace Festival on 17 October, marking the event's return after a seven-year hiatus and bringing together President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman in a highly symbolic joint appearance.
The festival comes at a time when efforts to advance negotiations on the Cyprus issue remain stalled, giving added significance to an event centred on coexistence and cooperation between the island's two communities.
Festival returns after seven years
The event will be held at Pyla's futsal grounds, beginning at 7pm, with free admission.
Organisers expect around 2,000 visitors, who will be able to enjoy:
- Live music
- Traditional dance performances
- Food and drink
- Community activities involving both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots
"If we can do it here, why not across Cyprus?"
Speaking to Politis, Pyla community leader Simos Mytidis said the festival's primary goal is to send a message of peaceful coexistence.
"It is about sending the message that the two communities can live together when people genuinely want to make it happen," he said.
He added:
"If we can do it in Pyla, why not in the rest of the island?"
Pyla occupies a unique place in Cyprus as one of the few villages where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have continued living together since 1974. Mytidis described the community as a practical example of how coexistence can work in everyday life.
Revival of a long-standing initiative
The festival was first launched in 2015 to strengthen ties between residents through shared cultural and social activities.
The most recent edition took place in 2019 before the event was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent circumstances.
The festival is organised jointly by the Pyla Community Council, Turkish Cypriot community leader Veysal Güden and the United Nations. The UN is providing organisational and financial support, while the majority of costs are being covered by the local community council.
A festival with history
The event has previously served as an important platform for bicommunal cooperation.
During the fourth festival in 2018, honours were awarded to:
- Former Cyprus president Dimitris Christofias
- Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat
- Former UNFICYP chief Elizabeth Spehar
- Former Turkish Cypriot community leader Necdet Enver
Organisers at the time highlighted the importance of shared infrastructure, daily interaction and mutual respect between the two communities.
Symbolic importance of leaders' participation
The agreement for Christodoulides and Erhürman to attend together was announced by the United Nations following their meeting in Nicosia on 13 October.
The two leaders also agreed to participate in future meetings of bicommunal technical committees and continue dialogue next week.
UN representatives are expected to attend, including Khassim Diagne, the Secretary-General's Special Representative.
Mytidis believes the leaders' presence will attract greater public and media interest but stressed that the event remains primarily a community initiative.
"We are not politicians, but personally I believe it will help, even if only a little," he said.
Community-led celebration
Much of the organisation relies on volunteers from local associations, schools and parents' groups.
According to Mytidis, participants contribute their time voluntarily on behalf of the organisations they represent, reinforcing the festival's grassroots character.
The organisers hope the event will once again demonstrate that cooperation across the divide is possible in practice and help foster an atmosphere of trust through a shared community celebration.
